Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2010
The baby countdown
John Beaudoin, Journal Publisher
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I’m officially scared out of my mind.
Yes, I am going to be a dad.
My wife Aimee is 20 weeks pregnant and we’ve just done our third ultrasound along with lots of other tests and blood work.
So, yeah…I’m a bit terrified.
Of course, I waited 36 years so you would think I would be ready for fatherhood. Many of my friends have kids. Heck, a good friend of mine is getting ready to marry a gal with seven kids. Surely, I can handle one. At least it looks like one from the last ultrasound photo. I can’t really tell from those pictures, although the last one looked a little more like a kid and less like an alien. So, I suppose that is positive news.
With this being my first kid, I am starting to get the expected well wishes, warnings and “oh, wow” comments from my friends, especially the guys.
To be honest, if I have one more guy give me the consoling pat on the shoulder and tell me how much my life is going to change, I may just have to punch him.
Sure, I get that life, work and just about everything else will surely change once the baby arrives in September. If I didn’t know that, I probably shouldn’t be having a kid.
The grandparents on both sides of the family are pretty excited, too. And so are we – having grandma and grandpa in Independence will be a blessing for us once the little one arrives.
And we are taking a more non-traditional stance on future ultrasound appointments, we have decided to not find out if we need to paint the room blue or pink.
We figured, why not? People went a long time with the gender being a surprise at birth.
Of course, every time I tell someone that, I get the stunned and shocked look. The “how on earth will you ever be able to plan the room, the baby showers and just life in general without knowing?” reaction.
OK, those people might just irritate me more than the previously mentioned “well wishing” guys.
Look, you really can’t plan much in life anyway.
I had no idea I was going to move to Iowa three years ago and I had no idea when and if we were ever going to make it back to Missouri.
I have been sideswiped on the highway, mugged in Chicago and hit with a puck at a hockey game. Life is unpredictable.
As long as he (or she) is healthy and happy, I really don’t care what else happens.
Unless they want to attend KU. That’s a discussion that can wait a while, though.
John Beaudoin is publisher of the Blue Springs Journal. To respond to today’s commentary, call 816-282-7001 or e-mail jbeaudoin@bluespringsjournal.com.
